Jobs Coming to Needy Rocky Mount

With all the growth the Triangle is experiencing, unemployment is almost non-existent. But an hour east, a community has four times the unemployment in spite of recent growth.

Like most cities near the Triangle, Rocky Mount is becoming a magnet for new business. The twin-county city is one of the most progressive communities east of Raleigh. But it's hard to tell that to Joyce Saunders who, like hundreds of other people in town, is out of work.

"Most people want people with a whole lot of experience or a college degree or something like that," said Saunders.

Saunders wants a job, but isn't qualified for many of the management positions the new companies are bringing with them. Many workers in Rocky Mount thought they'd spend the rest of their lives in manufacturing or textiles. Since 1995, such companies have laid off nearly 3000 people, opting for cheaper labor in other countries.

The shifting job market is pushing many people back to the classroom. At the Rocky Mount branch of Edgecombe Community College, enrollment was up 10 percent last year, nearly three times more than the state average.

Melinda Sledge believes school may be her best bet for landing the job she wants.

"Most of the companies now, they're going to computers," said Sledge. "They need people with computer skills."

In spite of the high unemployment rate, the local job service says the jobs that are available are paying better. Last month, more than half the jobs posted with the employment security commission paid more than $30,000 a year.